


Jelly Beans in the Ash Tray

by grimmfairy



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Ash tray from the palace, Jelly Beans, John likes jelly beans, M/M, Pre and Post Reichenbach, Sherlock likes weird sweets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-04
Updated: 2014-06-04
Packaged: 2018-02-03 08:39:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1738244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimmfairy/pseuds/grimmfairy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another prompt by Whimsical Ethnographies on tumblr<br/>"Sherlock is the only one who likes the Butter Popcorn Jelly Bellies jelly beans.  John hates them (like most people), so when he buys them, he eats the entire bag but then leaves all the popcorn ones for Sherlock in a dish on the table next to his microscope.  Then when he wakes up in the morning, they’re gone.  And it’s kind of like they’re way of communicating their feelings.  He does it accidentally after Reichenbach and is SAD when their still there the next morning and it hits him.  But then after Mary is exposed (I think she’s tied to Moriarty) and he moves back, he starts doing it again."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jelly Beans in the Ash Tray

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WhimsicalEthnographies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhimsicalEthnographies/gifts).



> Mary was never pregnant in this one.

John stared silently at the little crystal ash tray.

_Sherlock put the ash tray from the palace next to his microscope. John had laughed and asked why. Sherlock merely shrugged._

_The first time Christmas John and Sherlock spent together was a disaster. Molly was again devastated and embarrassed, John's girlfriend broke up with him (for good reason, John had decided), and it was a danger night. Two days later, little had changed._

_The hours stretched on as John tried to focus on his novel and Sherlock tinkered around in his room. Suddenly in a fury of blue dressing gown and bare feet, a package wrapped meticulously in newspaper was dropped in his lap._

_"Mrs. Hudson insisted that I get you something for Christmas," Sherlock said crankily as he flopped down on the couch. "Then she made me wrap it. How unnecessary." He finished with a pained sigh._

_John poked at the package uncertainly._

_"It's not...it won't explode or anything, will it?" John asked warily. Sherlock spared him a glare. John shrugged and began to take the paper off. "Oh, jelly beans! Thank you, Sherlock."_

_"I know that you like sweets based on the amount of sugar you put in your coffee when you don't think anyone is looking. You purchase a single candy bar on your way back from the hospital every time you work the early morning shift. However, you have an affinity for these that few know about," Sherlock could barely contain the satisfaction in his voice._

_"Would you like some?" John asked as he opened the medium sized bag. Sherlock wrinkled his nose. Of course, John thought to himself. Simple jelly beans were probably too low-brow for him. "They're all rather good, except the popcorn flavor."_

_"You love popcorn," Sherlock said with slight interest. "Do they not taste like popcorn?"_

_"Of course they do, that's the point. But it's...weird!" John made a face. "It's just the texture is strange."_

_"That's a terrible reason," Sherlock held out his hand. "I will try one."_

_John rolled his eyes and crossed the distance to where Sherlock was lying in the sofa. John deposited one yellowish bean in the palm of his hand and watched as Sherlock tasted his first jelly bean. John saw the small flash of pleasure in Sherlock's eyes before it was snuffed out. Sherlock just rolled over to his side, hiding his face and signaling the end of the conversation. John smiled at his back, still touched by the thought behind Sherlock's inexpensive gift. John had of course gotten Sherlock those ridiculous reindeer antlers._

_"Merry Christmas, Sherlock."_

_John didn't mean to eat the whole bag in two days, but the little sugary candies were addicting. Except for the popcorn flavor. They were the only ones left at the bottom of the bag, about a handful._

_John poked his head into the kitchen and found Sherlock staring at something under his microscope with great intent. Beside him was the empty ash tray. John recalled vaguely reading somewhere that when someone was distracted, they would unconsciously eat. A handful of popcorn flavored jelly beans had to be better than nothing. Sherlock didn't even move when John poured the candies into his dish._

_When John returned from shopping a few hours later, the dish was empty and Sherlock was looking less pale and drawn. He may have just thrown them away, but John was pretty sure he didn't._

John smiled an empty smile at the ghost of Sherlock, sitting in his chair and eating the jelly beans without even looking up from the experiment. The bowl was never quite full since Sherlock refused to buy his own jelly beans, relying instead on John to keep him stocked with his new addiction.

The smile faded though. The ash tray now held ten buttered popcorn jelly beans, untouched and shining. He had left them for Sherlock last night, dropping them into the dish with a cheerful sound. Because Sherlock liked them. They were the only flavor that Sherlock ate.

Sherlock was gone, though.

In a fit of rage, John swept the crystal from the counter, breathing heavily as jelly beans scattered across the floor and the ash tray rolled away unscathed save for a small chip on the rim.

John winced as his leg twinged when he got down on his knees to retrieve the fallen jelly beans.

* * *

"Sherlock, I need a place to stay for awhile. Until I get things sorted, then I promise I'll be out of your hair," John added quickly, running his hand over his hair in a nervous gesture. Sherlock was paused with his bow above the strings of his violin. Finally, Sherlock set down the instrument and took in his friend.

John's clothes were laundered but not ironed. His eyes were reddened but not excessively having been treated with eye-drops meant to sooth irritated eyes. So he was trying to hide his anguish. Sherlock supposed he would too in the same situation.

Mary and John had put the effort in, Sherlock knew that better than most. But it was hard for John to accept that Mary had so many secrets, even though he tried to look past them.

He never really burned the flash drive. Sherlock knew that.

"What happened?" Sherlock asked after John was situated in his chair.

"I looked into the flashdrive. She's been keeping secrets from me again," John sighed. "I had to know."

Sherlock nodded.

"It's only natural."

John remained silent. Sherlock stood and disappeared from John's sight for a moment, rummaging around in the kitchen for something. When he returned, a bag of multi-flavored jelly beans was clutched in his hands. John's eyes flicked from the bag to Sherlock's eyes and he gave a tiny smile.

"I haven't had those since you-" John stopped. No need to dredge up the past now.

"I know," Sherlock shrugged.

"Of course you do," John rolled his eyes.

The next morning, Sherlock found himself in front of his microscope.

For the first time since Sherlock had jumped, a handful of buttered popcorn jelly beans was in the ash tray.


End file.
